Drying casings



C. T. WALTER DRYING CASINGS Feb. 28, 1939.

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INVENTOR ATTfsTU nu (D.

ATTORN EY Feb. 28, 1939. C;4 |-l WALTER 2,148,885

DRYING CAS INGS Filed Nov. 2l, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY 3Sheets-Sheet '.5

c. TfwALTER DRYING CAS TNGS Filed Nov. 2l, 1936 mill ,n

m a s J Zmw 1 sa n ev A im ,W 40 C Patented Feb. 2s, 1939 y 2,148,885

UNITED s'rli'rlasA PATENT OFFICE DRYING CASINGS Charles T. Walter,Chicago, Ill., assignor to Industrial Patents Corporation, Chicago,Ill., a

corporation of Delaware Application November 21, 193s, semi No. 112,178

z claims. (cisl-24) The present invention relates to a method freference characters in the several figures indicate drying casings.similar elements.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide Figure 1 is asectional view of a drying room. e methOd fOr drying Sausage casingsderived from Figure 2 is a sectional view of the drying room animalintestines. shown in Figure 1. 5

Another object of the invention is to prepare Figure 3 is a plan view ofthe drying room natural casings suitable for printing. shown in Figures1 and 2. Other objects of the invention will be apparent Figure 4 is adetail of anair pipe provided with from the description and claims whichfollow. nozzles.

In order to print natural sausage casings which -Figure 5 is a sectionon the line 5-5 of Figure 4. 10 are derived from intestines of edibleanimals, it is Figure 6 is a side view of a clamp which may be necessaryto process the casings to a compara- 'utilized for fastening a casing toan air nozzle. tively dry, smooth condition. Figure 7 is a plan view ofthe clamp shown in The present invention is applied to casings Figure 6.

which have been processed in the usual manner as Figure 8 discloses amanner of aiiixing a casing 15 by stripping, desliming and fatting. toan air nozzle.

It is conventional practice to pack casings, after Figure 9 is a frontview of a bottom clip and cleaning, in wet salt for storage before thecasings weight.

are used in the manufacture of sausage. Exces- Figure 10 is a side viewof the bottom clip and sive salt is removed by a water bath and thecasweight shown in Figure 9. 20 ings stuffed out in a wet condition.Figure 11 is a sectional view of a casing In order to prepare thecasings for printing as stretched by means of a ball weight.

where it is desired to print the casings in accord- Figure 12 is a view,partly in Section. Showing ance with the teachings of my Patent No.2,054,148 another modification of an air nipple and DOZZie entitledSausage and casing therefor, or in accordwith a casing in position. 25ance with the teachings of my copending applica- Figure 13 S'a detailedView, partly in SeCtiOn, 0f

tion entitled Treatment of casings, Serial No. the nipple and nozzleShOWn in Figure 12.

23,664, filed May 27, 1935, it is necessary to dry Referring nOW mrePartielileliy te Figures 1, the casings to a comparatively dry, smoothcon- 2, and 3, it Will be noted that the drying rOOm iS dition. definedby side walls I, 2, 3 and l, floor 5 an'd 30 The present invention willbe described by way ceiling 6. It iS desirable t0 utilize e drying100111 of illustration, but not by way of limitation, as having aceiling height 0f about 12 t0 15 feet in applied to the drying of beefmiddles and similar order to accommodate reasonably' lons casingcasings. lengths.

When casings are dried in contact with solid Iniiation apparatus 1 iSemxed iOSe t0 the teil- 35 material, the membrane .tends to adhere nrmlyto ins and is the apparatus iorsupporting and inatthe solid material,rendering it difficult to remove ing the CaSinES This apparatus'COnSiStS 0f the dried casing from the stripping means. header 8 havingauxiliary branch headers 9 each Although this dimculty may be largelyobviated of which is provided with a valve I0 so that each 40 by @ningthe stripping means, the presence of ou auxiliary header may be shut 01Tfrom themain 40 on casings is objectionable if the easing is to beheader 8. Each of the auxiliary headers 9 is proprinted 'since on tendsto mix with the ink and vided with a seriesof nozzles Il, shown in theinhibit the drying of the mk drawings as comprising a short pipe nipplei2 46 When casings are dried in a hot atmosphere, tted with a Standardcap '3 through which has been drilled a small hole Il as'will be readil45 the heat tends to render the fat in the casing y apparent byreference to Figure 5. The hole i4 depositing ou on the surface whichmterferes mth is preferably about one-eighth to three-sixteenths thedrying of the ink. 'I'he objection to the use of of an inch in diametefrhot air renders it necessary to employ cool air M ain header B issupplied with compressed air 50 With a correspoflding decrease. in roomcapacltyat low pressure through any convenient form of 50 The presentinvention tends to overcome this reducing valve the preferred airpressure em- Objection t0 the employment 0f C001 air by litilizployed inthe system being between 12 inches and ing the full volume of the dryingchamber.

18 inches of water. An eiective pressure control The invention will beunderstood by reference valve for use in the system is an open-end pipeu to the accompanying drawings in which similar connected with thesystem and having the open end of the pipe submerged l2 to 18 inches'below the surface of a vessel of Water.

be readily accommodated by the height of the drying room; for example,12 feet. One end of the wet casing is slipped over a nozzle Ill andfastened in place as by means of clamp I5 shown in Figures 6 and 7. Thebottom of each casing may be sealed as by clip I6 to which is attachedweight I'I as shown in Figures 9 and 10i.

After all the nozzles ony one auxiliary header have been provided with acasing, valve I0 may be opened, permitting air in the auxiliary header 9to ow into each individual casing and fully inate the casing. Since bothends of each casing are closed, there is very little air flow throughthe system although a small amount of leakage may occur by reason ofsmall holes and the like in the casing. This small amount of leakage isreadily handled by the air compressor system.

In the event that a casing develops excessive leakage, as by tearing,loss of substantial quantities of air from the system is prevented bythe throttling action of small hole I4 in nozzle II. Hole I4 is largeenough to admit more than the amount of air'necessary to produce inationin a tight casing, but is small enough to prevent a substantialreduction in air line pressure in the event a casing mounted on anyparticular nozzle becomes torn or is removed.

In order to facilitate the operations of filling the drying room andremoving dried casings, a movable platform I8 mounted upon wheels I9 maybe employed. If desired, the platform may be of the type shown inFigures 1 and 2, long enough to extend the full length of the room andarranged so that it may be moved the entire width of the room. Aplatform of this type permits an operator to mount the platform by meansof ladder rungs 20 with a suiicient supply of casings and fasteningdevices to quickly attach a casing to each of the nozzles on one of theauxiliary headers. When an auxiliary header is completely loaded, thecontrol valve I0 for that particular header is opened, the casings onthat header inflated, and the drying operation commenced. The platformI8 is then moved slightly away from the rst line of casings and the nextline hung. Air circulating fans 2I and 22 are provided to facilitatedrying. Circulation may be assisted by use of curtains 42 suspended fromrods 43. Exhaust vent 44 is provided with damper 45.

As soon as the casings are dried on any `auxiliary header, the controlvalve I0 of that header is 'closed and the casings removed.

The employment of weight I1, although not essential to the drying of thecasings, effectively holds casings straight and results in a betteryield of straight casings suitable for printing. With a 12 foot beefmiddle, a one to two pound weight is employed.

One means for attaching a casing to a nozzle is shown in Figure 8. Inthis modification, nipple ends 2l and provided with a pin 28 tightlyfitted in holes 29 and 30 drilled through tube 26. Ends 3l and 32 of pin28 extend beyond the outer surface of tube 26. Nipple 33 is preferablyfabricated from a light weight metal such as aluminum. Hole 34 in nipple33 provides a loose iit over the end of pipe 26. A rubber Washer 35 inthe bottom of hole 34 contacts machine face 21 of pipe 26 in order toseal the joint against leakage of low pressure air into the system.Groove 36 is formed in the outside surface of nipple 33 near its lowerend, as clearly shown in Figure 13. Casing 31 is rmly fastened to thenipple by any means, such as a strong cord 38 tied around the casing atgroove 36. A longitudinal slot 39 of suiiicient width to accommodate aknife extendsv just under the smallest diameter of groove 36 in order topermit ready insertion of a knife for cutting cord 38 for removal of thestub end of the casing after the casing has been dried.

In employing'the apparatus shown in Figures 12 and 13 in the drying ofcasings, an operators bench is equipped with supporting elementscorresponding in size to tubes 26. The operator attaches a 'nipple 33 toeach one of the supporting elements or brackets, which is done byslipping the nipple over the end of the bracket and giving it a partturn to lock slot 40 around a pin corresponding to pin 28. The operatorthen picks ,up a casing and with both hands free slips it `provided withnipples, the casings are taken to the drying room and the nipplesfastened to tubes 26 by the simple operation of pushing the nipple overthe tube and giving it a part turn to lock slot 40` on pin 28. Thenipple is provided with hole I4 to permit communication between the airsupply and the interior of the casing.

In ordinary practice, the casings when dried a're removed and soaked inwater to overcome the tendency of the stub end of the casing to stick tothe nipple.

When it is desired to re-use the nipple, it is mounted upon a bracket onthe operators table, cords 38 cut with a knife inserted in slot 39, thecut cords and the stub end of the casing discarded, and the operation ofattaching a casing tothe nipple repeated.

The present invention contemplates maintaining casings under constantair pressure during the drying period to compensate for loss of airthrough small openings in the casing Wall. It will be apparent,therefore, that the present invention employs a novel method of dryingcasings.

In the claims which follow, the term natural casings will be understood`to be limited to casings prepared from animal membranes such asintestines.

I claim:

1. The method of preparing natural casings for printing which comprisesdrying individual lengths of casings by closing one end of each lengthof casing, introducing air under pressure into the length of casingwhile supporting the casing out of contact with other restraining bodiesand maintaining` the casing under coninto the length oi casing whilesupporting the casing out of contact with other restraining bodies andmaintaining the casing under constant internal air pressure of fromtwelve inches to mteen inches of water until dried.

CHARLES. T, WALTER.

